Screams in the Darkness

Screams in the Darkness

"I've always been afraid of darkness, you know that," Ginny whispered as she stood close to John.

"I know, that is one reason I fell in love with you. I guess it makes me feel more masculine to know I can protect you. Even if it is against nothing", he laughed teasingly as he wrapped his arm around her. "I don't know why you worry so about nothing!"

"Oh said by the man wearing a gun!", Ginny teased him back while looking deeply into his Gray eyes.

That morning had been very special to Ginny. She and John and been married for one year now. They were celebrating the occasion by his calling in late to work and having a late breakfast in the woods. As she buttered her toast she looked at John adoringly.

"I'm so glad you wore that blue shirt with your jeans, it just makes your Grey eyes turn a beautiful blue.

"Well thank you for giving me the shirt. You know, you don't have to dress up so much for me, I love you a la naturale," he said laughingly. Even though she was madly in love with John, John was not so in love with Ginny. John had gotten tired of her squeaky voice and her always having to be cosmetically perfect before stepping out the door. He tolerated her everyday the best way he could, but today he was extra nice because he knew that all this would be coming to an end.

See, John had realized too late that he wasn't the marrying kind. Way too late. He decided he wanted her out of his life and her fear of darkness would come to his advantage. Surely no one would blame him for her going insane if he wasn't even around. He had planned the next night over and over again in his head. He knew if he was late enough coming home she'd do herself in. Either she'd be raving mad or she'd want to leave him for deserting her!

He slowly walked her back up to the house. Holding her tightly and whispering how much he loved her.

Whey they finally parted that day, John going off to work at the police force and Ginny to her housework. They both seemed very happy indeed.

The day finished off with the usual routine of John coming home from the police station. Supper microwaved. Ginny wasn't a cook. That days crossword puzzle worked and then an early night of love making.

Yes, this was to going to be the last night John would have to endure her voice and he felt bittersweet about their love making.

After finally settling down to go to sleep, John decided this would be a good time to prepare her for tomorrow's events. She was halfway a sleep as he nudged her.

"Oh Ginny, please don't get excited, but I'll be home a little late tomorrow".

Ginny raised her sleepy head and looked immediately at John. She started trembling. "Not after dark, you promised you would always be here before it got dark!"

God, that voice caused him to cringe.

"Now don't worry, I said I'd be a little late. Have faith."

Wrapping his arms around her, he calmed her down a little. "Now go to sleep and I'll be home before you know it".

It was too dark in the room for her to see the look of disgust on his face as he spoke to her.

That morning as he was getting ready for work he went over the necessary preparations. He made sure her mobile phone battery was low. He had already fixed the car so it would be running out of gas, knowing she had filled it days before. The final touch was planing a late night meeting with several co-workers for his alibi.

Chuckling to himself in the darkness he walked out the door knowing both their lives would be changing.

He left as always did. Just before the alarm rang, he cut it off letting Ginny sleep so he wouldn't have to talk to her. Sad that was one of the endearing things she cherished about him.

The heat and the glare of the sun was what finally woke Ginny up. She looked at the clock realizing how late it was.

“Jesus is it 1:00,” she asked no one. Showering as fast as she could, she slowly put lotion all over her body. Laying out her makeup in a systematic way, she started applying it. Messing up her eyeliner, she washed her face and started the routine all over again. Finally, perfect. She then picked out the white slacks and pink t-shirt to wear. Nope, the t-shirt just didn't look right. Pulled it off and put on a black sleeveless blouse. Now for the shoes. Flats, no today she was going to wear her Emilio Pucci ballet flats. The colors were so beautiful and it pulled out the black color in the design.

“Oh drat, it's even later now,” she whispered to herself as she grabbed her jewelry slipping rings and bracelets on and heading out the door.

Finally in her Volkswagen and on her way, she started day dreaming about John again. She felt bad about sleeping so late and how wonderful John had been to her the day before. Gosh, just letting her sleep in the mornings and fixing his own breakfast. So many of her friends had to get up and fix breakfast for their husbands, but she didn't.

Thinking of this now, she realized how lucky she was to have John and and she should be more helpful to him. “Why do I have to be so afraid of the dark,” she spoke to the open road. She was afraid that he'd grow tired of her silliness and leave her. “No, he would never do that, I'll fix him a wonderful dinner tonight. I'll buy some wine, yes wine. Just the thing to celebrate our one year of marriage,” this time giggling like a school girl, thinking of their love making last night.

Ginny drove slowly to town. She did enjoy the beautiful view of the hill sides and forest along the way. Scratching her arm, she slowly looked down at the finger nails. She realized she needed a manicure. “I'll just stop along the way. Gosh, think I'll do that before getting groceries.”

Sometimes she hated that John had bought their house so deep in the country. It was such a hardship to try and plan everything that needed to be done in town at one time. Luckily she had filled the car up the last time she was here. So no need to worry about that.

The Nail Center was crowed that afternoon and she had to wait several hours before her turn came. She picked out several colors before she decided on the right one. She had the nail tech taking off polish as soon as it was applied.

“No, this color is all wrong. Try that one”, over and over again,to Ayers, the nail tech. Ayers cursed under her breath. Drat, she had to be the one to finish with other clients first and get Ginny. The other techs would be laughing at her all afternoon. Finally, with Ginny's nails properly done she paid Ayers and gave her exactly 20% tip. Ginny also repeated the name of the color, Girly Pink over and over again to try and remember it for the next visit. This was the color she thought would go with most everything she wore. Leaving the Nail Center and the techs laughing behind her back, she was off to the grocery store. There too it seemed to take an awful long time. She changed her mind several times before she decided what would be the best meal to cook for John. Spaghetti was always fast and easy and a nice bottle of Chianti. But even the checkout line was slow and crazy. Finally out the door.

Shutting the truck lid with the groceries securely in the truck she was ready to return home. Looking at her watch she realized it was later than she expected. The Sun would be going down in an hour and she had at least that much time to get back home.

Traveling once more, she realized how beautiful the sunset looked. The blues and reds of the sky as the sun went down was so spiritual. She shook as a chill ran through her body. How could such a magnificent view bring about the horrors she imagined in the night.

But as it was planned, halfway home she ran out gas. She was a little farther than John had planned for her to be. Only a mile from the house and she was very capable of hiking that distance to her house.

At first she became hysterical as she looked out the window to see the last traces of the sun disappear. Then she gathered herself together and taking the mobile phone started waking towards home.

“I bet John will be there when I arrive. He'll be so surprised that I walked the distance in the dark by myself.” The sound of her own voice make her feel a little bit more secure. She kept her eyes on the driveway of the house, not looking right or left just walking straight ahead. Not taking a chance of losing sight of her final destination.

Lucky, thanks to the gas lamp at the beginning of their drive way, it became a beacon for her. Like a lost ship being pulled by a light house, it drew her to safety. “Thank you God for that gas lamp.” She just kept on focusing on the lamp that would bring her safely home.

Arriving at last to the entrance of the drive way she ran up to the front door.

“Shit, the keys, the keys.”

She looked back down at the road to where she could barely see the car in the dark.

“I can't go get them now.” Looking around at the house, realizing that John was not home, he asked the question to the dooming darkness, “John why aren't you home?”

She was on the edge of hysteria. She sat down on the top step to try and calm herself.

Slowly as if God had cut off the lights, the pitch darkness was surrounding her. There she sat in the dark except for the gas light at the end of the driveway.

Thinking at first the gas light a friend, it now betrayed her as it began to show the deformed shadows of trees and bushes. Trying not to look at anything, Ginny tried to push herself flat against the front door, talking to herself once again for comfort. “John will be home in just a minute. John will be home. He's never late. He'll be here.”

She looked around at the trees as the wind started picking up causing more shadows and strange eerie sounds.

“Why I'm just being silly. John said to quit worrying about ghost or other unknown creatures I imagine are around at night. I'll call John, I know he's on his way.”

Just then the phone started ringing.

Ginny screamed and dropped the phone.

“Shit!” she screamed as the phone jumped from her hand and fell into a bush. “Calm down. Just go get it”, she tried to reason with herself as the phone continued it's nerve wreaking ring.

She jumped down the steps and turned around to where the bush gently moved with the wind as if teasing her. She slowly entered the bush as a surgeon slowly enters a body. She felt the phone, she brought it up from the cavity that held it.

“Shit!” A horrid little caterpillar, thinking it could catch a ride from the entanglement of the bushes was stuck to her phone.

“No, get off my phone you worm.” shaking the phone to dislodge it.

Finally the sticking critter went flying.

“Hello, Hello.” The phone had quit ringing. A message was left. “I know it's John telling me he's on his way home.”

She started the procedure to get her message.

“Please put in your four letter pass code,” the phone demanded. Ginny complied and was at once was hearing John's voice.

“Ginny, so sorry, sweetie, but I've got a problem at work and I'll be running later than expected. Just keep the doors locked and I'll be home before you know it.”

“Noooo, this can't be happening.” She stared at the phone like it would talk back. Ginny started redialing the number.

Just then the lights blinked on the phone and the message coming from the speaker was barely audible.

“Battery is low. Battery is low.”

“Oh please no.” She shook the phone like it would make a difference as the phone lights slowly died out. She again just stared at the phone as though mere staring would bring the battery to life again.

Once again talking out loud, trying to made her feel somewhat better and not so alone, she said, “I'm going to be fine, I'm an adult, no need to be scared of the outside in the dark. I'll go and sit on the front porch and wait”. Taking the dead phone along for company she ran as fast as she could to the front of the house up the porch steps.

“Why isn't the front porch on,” she said to the emptiness surrounding her.

Again the wind picked up suddenly and a million different sounds seem to explode. Left, right, no left, right, then in front of her.

Turning around, she asked the darkness, “What was that?”

Trying to squeeze herself into the top porch step. Se began to feel something crawling on her arm, she screamed and tried her best to scrap off everything from the shoulder to her knees.

“God, a spider”. She was jumping up and down now. She looked like someone trying to hoop a basket and trying not to pee at the same time. If someone had driven by at this time, surely they would think she was crazy. “Slimy, shit-face thing get off of me!” Hands then went through her hair to the imaginary spider.

Tears were starting.

“I hate the darkness, I hate the darkness!, she screamed to the emptiness. “I've got to calm down, I know I'll start singing that will help.” Still crying she started singing every song she could think of. Everything from Phantom of the Opera to Flor Rida's Round and Round. She'd hum to replace words she didn't know to continue the melody without stopping. Every song, from Christmas carols to movie songs. Just to hear her own voice to feel not so alone.

Minutes passed but it seemed like hours, hours passed, there were noises she couldn't explain all around her. Leaves skipping along the drive way sounded like someone softly walking. Her nails were digging into her arms and she was sweating even though it was a cool night.

“I know I'll run back to the car. I can at least sit in the car until John shows up.”

Saying a prayer she started walking very fast, faster, faster and then she see the beloved Volkswagen coming into sight. She goes to the door and pulls the handle. “Damn”, she broke a nail as the door handle snapped back to it's resting place.

She screams.

The doors are locked! She looks in to see the keys sitting on her passenger seat. It almost looked like they were laughing at her.

“FUUUUDDDDDGGGGEEE, what am I going to do? What am I going to do?”

Just then the wind picks up again and Ginny runs back to the house like Lucifer himself was after her. Her chest is starting to hurt and she's out of breath. She finds herself once more on the top step on the porch. She hears cars....wait she can see lights coming down the road. “Oh thank God, John is coming home”. She lets out a loud, “NOOOOOOOO” as the car continues past her house. “OK that wasn't him, the next one will be him. I know it will”.

Folding herself up in the fetal position, arms wrapped around her knees, she starts rocking back and forth on the step.

She started watching bats fighting over the gas light at the end of the drive way. For a minute she forgot where she was as she was mesmerized as they performed their dance. That lasted about one minute.

She was tired and scared and wanted the safety of the house inside. She wanted lights! As she grew more tired, she began to whisper and rock back and forth, back and forth,but it just grew darker and darker.

She screamed!

John on is way home, noticed his wife's Volkswagen sitting on the road. He got out, checked the doors, looked through the window to the inside. Noticed his wife's purse and keys lying on the passenger seat.

He got back in his car, with a smirk on his face, he looks at his watch as he drives up the driveway to the house. Eleven o'clock. He prepared himself for the scene he was about to encounter. Stepping slowly out of the car he looked around at the empty yard. Ginny was no where to be seen. He walked up the steps and unlocked the door. Walking inside he called her name. No answer. Turning on the front porch light he went back out looking around for her. Ginny was not to be found.

He smiled. He laughed. He decided he better act serious. He called his family, her family. She is missing. Police showed up. Questions were asked. Searches were started. Days turned into months, months turned into years. They could never find her or her body.

Every night a bereaved husband walked to his bedroom. Maybe tonight would be the night he could get some sleep.

But during the night as every night, he had the same dream, a strange dream. Why, Ginny was there. She was talking to him in that awful squeaky voice. She was hugging him. He couldn't get away.

He screamed!

Every night for the rest of his life, John had the same dream. His wife might have physically disappeared but she was there to hunt him every night. He took medication, he drank. His life turned out to be a “nightmare”. He wished he'd never played that horrible trick on Ginny.

Too late now.

The nights of no sleep finally took his sanity. Or so people thought. They thought it was the insanity of a grieving husband.

Every night now, he's strapped down. He's medicated with a shot, but nothing will shop his horrible screams in the night.

He screams.